>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

DRAWING HEAT FROM THE GROUND: Gordon Hooton displays the condenser that boosts geothermal heat from 55 degrees to desired room temperature. (The Observer/BILL RAUTENSTRAUCH).

- Bill Rautenstrauch

- The Observer

UNION —

Staying warm in winter used to be a hassle for Gordon and Charlotte Hooton.

They had an oil furnace they used from time to time, but wood was the main source of heat in their rural Union home. They chopped and hauled, hauled and chopped.

Staying warm meant hard work, considerable expense, smoke and dust in the air they breathed, and the ever-present danger of a house fire.

They knew there had to be a better way.

And finally they found one, right in the ground of their farm.

"We don't need wood or oil anymore," said Gordon. "The oil's gone completely. And though we still like to build a fire now and then, it's not because we have to."

Last September, the Hootons installed a geothermal system that draws heat from the ground and carries it to their house.

In winter, even during near-zero cold snaps, the couple warm their home to a cozy 71 degrees.

And there's a bonus. In hot weather, the system expels heat from the house into the ground. It works just as well as air-conditioning, said Charlotte.

The Hootons contracted with Scott's Heating and Air Conditioning Service for their system last September.

The technology isn't new; it's been around at least the last 30 years, and there are several companies in the region that offer them.

But Gordon Hooton said he wasn't in a position to go geothermal until recently.

"I have an interest in these kinds of things. I've known about it for a long time, but it can be kind of cost prohibitive," he said.

There are several different types of clean and safe heat exchange systems available, systems that use nature to good advantage, while forever eliminating the need for firewood or a fossil fuel.

Some systems make heat from air, others from water, others from warmth in the ground.

Weather and topography are factors to consider, and so is cost. A closed loop geothermal system like the Hootons' is highly efficient but more difficult to install, and therefore more expensive — they cost between $10,000 and $15,000.

They also take up a lot of space, and require a lot of excavation.

"You've got to have some room," said Gordon. "Our system extends outside 750 feet."

In the Hootons' system, a brine solution is pumped through an underground loop of pipes and picks up heat from the earth.

At a depth of 5 1/2 feet, the earth around the Hootons' house stays at 55 degrees year-round. The system carries that heat to a condenser situated just outside the house.

The condenser boosts the temperature of the glycol from 55 degrees to whatever temperature the Hootons desire. A blower sends the warm air through the rooms.

"It stays really comfortable in here all the time," said Charlotte.

The system's manufacturer says users can save more than 60 percent on their heating and cooling bills, depending on usage, weather and utility rates. Gordon said he is happy with the savings he's seen so far.

"The system itself is expensive, but it's an investment. Over time it pays for itself," he said.

Glen Brown, the Scott's technician who installed the system, said that the technology is less expensive than it used to be.

"It's getting down to where people can afford it," he said. "We're building a lot of them. It seems like we're doing one every few weeks."

In addition to month-to-month savings, there are some financial incentives to be had. For the Hootons, they included a $3,000 check from Oregon Trail Electric Co-Op.

The OTEC money came through because the ductwork and heat pump meet standards set by the utility, said Steve Schauer of OTEC.

"That ductwork was tested to verify it leaks only a very small amount of air. It's very tight," Schauer said.

He noted that the rebate is available only for those systems that are installed and inspected by Performance Tested Comfort System-certified technicians.

The cooperative offers the money through a Bonneville Power Administration program, and its own heat pump program. The rebates are given subject to availability of funds.

Also in the way of incentives, the Hootons received a $600 tax credit from the federal government.

They haven't, however, been able to find an insurance company offering a discount for a home with geothermal heat. Gordon Hooton believes that's unfair.

"If you're not burning anything and it's this efficient, there should be a decrease in the insurance."

The Hootons are proud that they are contributing toward world fuel conservation and clean air.

On a more personal note, they believe they have helped their 12-year-old foster son, who has asthma.

"Dust and smoke irritate his condition. I think it's made a big difference for him," Charlotte said.

The couple thinks more people people would follow their example if given the proper incentives. Lower insurance rates would help, said Gordon.

"I think people should be rewarded. If they were, more of these systems would be installed," he said.